Cash-carrier apparatus



N0. 6|l,322. Patented Sept. 27, I898.

D. JOHNSON. CASH, CARRIER APPARATUS.

(Application filed. Oct. 28, 1897.) (No Model.)

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Patented Sept. 27, I898.

No. 6ll,322.

D. JOHNSON.

CASH CARRIER APPARATUS.

(Application filed on. 28, 1897.

.(NO Model.) ZSheeatk-Sheet 2.

- ER z m \E\ h 4/ I h UNITE STATES PATENT Orricn.

DANIEL JOHNSON, OF ASIILAND, OHIO.

CASH-CARRIER APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 611,322, dated September 27, 1898.

Application filed October 28, 1897. Serial No. 656,650. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL J OHNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ashland, in the county of Ashland and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cash-Carrier Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to cash-carrier apparatus, but more particularly to that type of such apparatus in which the cash carrier or car is given an initial impetus to cause it to travel from end to end of a track, as distinct from that type of cash-carrier apparatus in which the cash carrier or car is fastened to a continuously-driven propelling agent, such as an endless cable, and also as distinct from that type of cash-carrier apparatus in which the cash carrier or car moves by gravity along the track.

While it has been stated that the present invention relates more particularly to a certain type of cash-carrier apparatus, yet some of the improvements hereinafter described are generally applicable in cash-carrier apparatus, as will be apparent.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved form of track for the car to travel upon, such track entirely obviating the difficulties heretofore encountered-as, for example, the friction engendered in the running of a car along a wire and the frequently excessive swinging or oscillating of the car as it runs along the wire.

Another object is to provide improved pro- I pelling means in an apparatus of the type first above indicated, such improved propelling means providing for propulsion of the car in either direction by manipulation at one point or station, whereby a person located at one station can either send the car from that station to another or cause the car to move from that other station to his own station.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved buffer applianceswhereby the shock incident to the stoppage of a car at the end of its journey is completely absorbed without bringing an undue strain upon the track or other parts of the system.

IVith the above objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, which are fully described hereinafter and whose essential elements are particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings Which accompany and form part of this specification there is illustrated one form in which the invention may be embodied.

Figure 1 represents in side elevation two sets of appliances with connections and a car, the whole making up a complete system, but the stretch of track and the stretches of propelling-cable being shown broken to economize space in the drawings. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal section, on an enlarged scale, of one set of appliances shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a front elevation of the same, with some of the parts in cross-section. Fig. at represents the car in longitudinal section. Fig. 5 represents one of the latches on the car in perspective. Fig. 6 represents a group of detailsviz., a perspective view of a fragment of the track and an elevation of rollers or wheels of the car, together with the track, in cross-section.

In the drawings the letter a designates a hanger of suitable form and construction, which is appropriately supported from above, so as to permit vertical adjustment and also endwise swing in a manner Well known in the art to which this invention pertains and there fore not requiring special illustration and description. This hanger is located at a place or station from which the system is to be manipulated and may be either at the cashiers desk or at the counter. There is one of these hangers at each location, and the construction is the same, and likewise the arrangement of manipulating appliances, and hence its tension may be regulated by adjusting the hangers on their swinging connections with the overhead supports through any suitable or well-known means, such as the turnbuckle (Shown in Fig. 1.) The strip composing the track is properly termed a ribbon because of its being so thin as to be affected by the tensioning devices to the extent of having any kinks ei'faced, which would not be true of a metal strap or strip, as known to the trade. The car, which is designated by the letter 0 and which runs upon the said track, is here shown as equipped with a single large hanger-wheel 0, having a flat tread resting upon the upper surface of the track and side flanges extending over the edges of said track, as clearly shown in Fig. 6. The car is also shown equipped with two smaller wheels 0 of similar construction located underneath the track and on opposite sides of a vertical median line of the car.

It will be seen that by reason of the particular form of track above described and the construction and arrangement of the carwheels which are associated therewith the swinging or oscillating of the caran objectionable feature in systems employing a wire as the trackis entirely obviated and also slippage between the wheels and the track, such as occurs where the wheels are grooved for engagement with a wire, is obviated, and hence friction is overcome. Moreover, the above-described ribbon form of track adds nothing to the expense of equipment in a system of this kind. By the particular arrangement of wheels above described tilting of the car to any appreciable extent in starting is avoided. It will be understood in this connection that the wheels 0 do not run in contact with the track, but only act as guides to prevent tilting or swinging of the car.

An endless line or cable d, which is preferably formed of comparatively fine wire, extends between the two hangers a and is supported therein by grooved pulleys 6, each of which is journaled in a bracket 6, having a screw-threaded stem 6 passing through an opening in the rear side of the hanger and receiving an adj Listing-nut 6 whereby the tension of the cable can be regulated. It will be observed that the two stretches of this cable (Z extend above and below the track I), which is desirable, in order that the impellin g power may be applied as near the center line of the car as possible to avoid any tendency to tilt the same in starting, it being here remarked that the propelling power is applied from the lower stretch of the cable. In this connection another advantage of the peculiar ribbon form of the track above explained is to be noted, for it will be observed that this form of track permits its arrangement between the two stretches of the cable without any danger of its becoming entangled with the lower stretch of the cable under depression incident to the passage of the car along the track. Such depression of the track can only cause it to come against the lower stretch of the cable, its flat form preventing its passing below the same.

The car is provided with a pair of pivoted latches f, which project from its upward sides and are pressed downwardly by a spiral spring f, appropriatelyconnected with each of them, and the said latches are provided with up standing notched armsf at their inner ends and embracing the lower stretch of the cabled. Thelatter has fastened securely to it at points near the hangers a buttons 9 and g, which are designed to act against the upstanding slotted arms of the latches and thereby displace the same, also imparting the impetus to the car which carries it from one end of the track to the other. At the end of the cars journey one of its latches automatically engages with a catch it in the form of an en largement or head on one end of a rod h in suitable supports on the hanger and forming part of a buffing apparatus hereinafter described.

A flexible device, which may be a rope or a wire and is designated by the letter 2', is fastened at one end to the upper stretch of the cable (I and extends over the rear side of the pulley e, lying in an outer groove thereof, which is somewhat larger than the groove through which the cable passes, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, and said cord or wire thence depends a sufficient distance from the hanger for convenient manipulation, being equipped with a suitable handle '4' for the purpose. A similar flexible device or cord j is fastened to the lower stretch of the cable and extends rearwardly under and beyond the pulley c and over a sheave or pulley j, supported by the hanger a, the said wire or cord j depending a suitable distance and being equipped with a handle j for manipulating purposes. It will be seen that by means of these cords i and j the cable (Z can be propelled to a limited extent in either direction. A car being at the station where these cords are located, and it being desired to send it from that station to the station at the opposite end of the track Z), the cord i is operated by giving the handle 1' a forcible downward pull, and it will be seen that this has the effect of moving the cable in a direction to cause the button g on its lower stretch to act against the latch on theear and disengage it from the catch 71. and also to impart movement to the car to send it along the track. If, on the other hand, the car is at the other station and it is desired to bring it from that station to the station where the operator is located, the cord j is operated by exerting a forcible downward pull upon the handle 7' which causes the button g on the lower stretch of the cable to act against the latch on the car and displace the same and impart an impetus to the car suflicient to bring the car to that end of the track where the person manipulating the system is located. This arrangement of pulls whereby the car can be caused to traverse the track in either direction by manipulations at one and the same station is of great importance, as it frequently happens that a person located at one station may not only desire to send a car from that station to another, but also to bring a car from the other station to his stationas, for example, where the person at the desk desires to send a communication to the salesman and the car at the time is at the salesmans counter.

The improved butting apparatus comprises the rod h, which has previously been mentioned, which rod is arranged to slide in guides 7c, formed upon the hanger a, the outer end of the said rod being constructed for the abutment of the car thereagainst. A weight on is suspended by a cord m from an overhead arm m? on the hanger a, the said weight being positioned immediately behind the rear end of the rod, so that when the car strikes the front end of the same its rear end will encounter the weight. By this arrangement the shock accompanying the sudden stoppage of the car is completely absorbed by the swinging of the weight, and thus no strain is brought to bear upon any part of the system, such as calculated to impair the same.

For the purpose of causing a quicker recovery of the rod to its normal position than would ensue from the return of the weight after having been swung rearwardly I employ a comparatively light spiral spring 11, which surrounds the rod h between one of the guides 7c and a cross-pin in the rod.

It will be noted that by suspending the weight from an arm of the hanger movements of the latter for adjusting purposes do not appreciably affect the relative positions of the weight and buffer-rod.

It will now be seen that the constructions above described fulfil all the objects primarily stated. However, it is also obvious that these constructions are susceptible of variation without involving a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and hence it is to be understood that'the invention is not limited to the particular constructions shown.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a cash-carrier apparatus, a propelling wire or cable, and a track extending above a stretch of the same and consisting of a flat, thin, flexible metallic strip or ribbon whereby it is prevented from moving downward past the wire, substantially as described.

2. In a cash-carrier apparatus, the combination with the track and the car, of propelling means comprising an endless line or cable extending longitudinally of the track and having shoulders or abutments in one of its stretches to come against the car to give it an impetus, and a pair of pulls at each station where the cable is supported, associated with difierent stretches thereof, whereby operation of one pull moves the cable in one direction and operation of the other pull moves the cable in the opposite direction, substantially. as described. I

3. In a cash-carrier apparatus, the combination with the track and the car, of propelling means comprising an endless line or cable extending longitudinally of the track and having shoulders or abutments in one of its stretches to act against the car to give it an impetus, and flexible connections fastened to the cable in the two stretches thereof and passing over suitable guiding-supports.

a. In a cash-carrier apparatus, the combination with the track and the car, of propelling means comprising an endless line or cable extending longitudinally of the track and having shoulders or abutments in'one of its stretches to act against the car to give it an impetus, pulleys supporting said cable, a pair of operating-cords fastened to the latter in its two stretches respectively, one of said cords passing over the cable-pulley and depending therefrom for manipulation, and a separate pulley or sheave for the other cord which also depends therefrom for manipulation.

5. In a cash-carrier apparatus the combination with the track, catches at the ends of the same and the car having latches to automatically engage said catches; of an endless propelling line or cable extending along the track, and having shoulders or abutments in one of its stretches to act against the latches on the car to disengage them from the catches, and also to impart an impetus to the car, and means for moving the cable to a limited extent in either direction.

6. In a cash-carrier apparatus, the combination of a track, an endless propelling line or cable whose stretches extend above and below said track, a car suspended from the track and across the lower stretch of the said cable, the latter having abutments to act against the car, and means for imparting limited movement to the cable in either direction, substantially as described.

7. In a cash-carrier apparatus, the combination with the hanger having a projecting arm, of a buffer comprising a sliding rod in guides on the said hanger, and end-on in the path of the car, and a weight suspended, from the said arm of the hanger and behind the rod and adapted to be displaced thereby when the car encounters the rod.

8. In a cash-carrier apparatus, abuffer comprising a sliding rod arranged end-011 in the path of the car, a weight suspended behind a the rod and adapted to be displaced thereby when the car encounters the rod, and a comparatively light restoring-spring associated with the rod, substantially as described.

I11 testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DANIEL JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

CHARLES E. RIoRDoN, J OHN H. IIAZELTON. 

